Legal Opinion
State v. Thornton
Washington Supreme Court
Decided September 3, 1992No. 58273-4PublishedCited by 39 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtDurham, J.
We are asked to decide if a wife can testify against her husband (the defendant) in a prosecution for burglary of her home. At issue is the scope of the exception to the spousal incompetency rule which applies when one spouse commits a crime against the other.
Defendant, Robert Thornton, is married to Arlene Thornton. On July 11, 1990, a no-contact order was entered in Renton Municipal Court against defendant. The certificate of probable cause filed by the prosecuting attorney's office contains the following description of the relevant facts:
On August 3, 1990 at approximately 11 a.m., while…
2Cases cited7 opinions
- Trammel v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1980
- Wyman v. WallaceWashington Supreme Court · 1980
- State v. ThompsonWashington Supreme Court · 1977
- State v. KephartWashington Supreme Court · 1910
- State v. MoxleyCourt of Appeals of Washington · 1971
2 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by39 opinions
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- Estate of Haselwood v. Bremerton Ice Arena, Inc.Washington Supreme Court · 2009
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